Bible Verses About Vanity

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat— for He gives sleep to His beloved.

Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.

Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.

He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.

I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.

I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.

I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.

I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,

and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.

So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.

Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.

To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.